President Biden wants to increase pay for WNBA players, but what he needs now is to learn who they are.
Biden praised the two-time White House Las Vegas Aces on Thursday, giving a shoutout to recently retired Candace Parker.
“Even though she couldn’t be here,” Biden said of the WNBA legend. “We want to pay tribute to someone we consider one of the greatest coaches of all time, Candice Parker.”
There’s just one problem. Parker has never coached.
Biden seemed to get his facts straight in the second half of his eulogy.
“She played 16 seasons in the league and won two Olympic gold medals, two regular season MVPs and one Finals MVP,” Biden said. “And look, and she was on top of the world with her third ring, she announced her retirement from the game. We want to thank her. We know she has the whole world in front of her.”
The Aces defeated Liberty, led by two-time league MVP A’ja Wilson, in four games in the WNBA Finals a season ago.
As the players cheered, Vice President Kamala Harris introduced the team’s breakdown of the Game 4 comeback at Barclays Center.
Harris called Wilson “simply one of the best basketball players in the world.”
Biden then pointed out that the Aces are the first WNBA team to win back-to-back championships in 20 years, since the Los Angeles Sparks accomplished the feat in 2001 and 2002.
“I kind of like this streak,” the 81-year-old Biden said, referring to his upcoming re-election bid.
Parker announced his retirement from the WNBA in April after one of the most decorated careers in league history.
She averaged nine points and five rebounds per game in her final season.
The 38-year-old was named the new president of Adidas’ women’s basketball division on Wednesday.
“It’s important for girls and women to finally see their representation,” Biden said. “It’s important to all Americans. That’s why we need to support women’s sports as a country.”
In March, Biden tweeted in support of increased pay for WNBA players after Caitlin Clark’s rookie contract became a hot topic.
Clark was selected with the first overall pick by the Indiana Fever, and her immense popularity brought a lot of attention to women’s basketball.
“Women in sports continue to push new boundaries and inspire us all.” Mr. Biden wrote about X: “But now we are seeing that women, even the best, are not getting the compensation they deserve.
“It is time to give our daughters the same opportunities as our sons and ensure that women are paid the compensation they deserve.”
The WNBA season begins Tuesday with Las Vegas playing the Phoenix Mercury in one of four games.
